But how well you recover is quite an individual thing and changes over time as well. One thought about how to "know yourself" and how much recovery a particular training session requires is, keep experimenting by varying your training sessions. Another thought is that when tempo training, not with 100% effort, recoveries can be quite short, whether you are talking about recovery during that session or recovery before the next hard session. But as in all training and racing, there is trial, error, experience, learning, adapting, time, chance, injury and illness to factor in.

Run well run strong!
Then recover well for next time, so you can hang in there for the long haul!

Happy Birthday new W30 Thea! It has been a long time coming!

Saturday, 29 September 2012

Thursday speedygeese training at Parliament House: We ran a new course for the 2.5 lap south-east side circuit, given that a small section of the path we normally use has been removed. Cathy ran early; then running five intervals on six minutes were Yelena & Eliza; running six on five minutes were Warrick, Joel, Jen, Craig & Colin. Each interval has three uphill stretches, two of 100m and a final one of 30m or so.

Friday, 28 September 2012

A.MONTHLY1stTuesday: 12.45pm Mt Ainslie Run Up and Power Walk, 2.3km, free, from Remembrance Park behind the Australian War Memorial, Treloar Cres, Campbell.

3rdTuesday: 12.45pm Black Mountain Run Up and Power Walk, 2.6km, free, from carpark on Clunies Ross Street, 150 metres east of the entrance to the Botanic Gardens.

B. MAJOR EVENTS (see details, online entry and volunteer form atwww.mountainrunning.coolrunning.com.au). Many helpers are needed, helpers receive a bottle of wine, chocolates or race T shirt – if available for the events on 21 Oct, 11 Nov and 16 Dec)

Note: The Mt Majura Vineyard One and Two Peaks is usually held on this day but has had to be deferred until early 2013 because of work in Majura pine forest associated with the Majura Parkway construction and forest thinning operations.

Thursday, 27 September 2012

Posted by speedygeoff on Thursday, September 27, 2012 with No comments

From David Osmond:Sun Oct 7 - Women's & Girls' Jogalong - now at Grevillea Park near the Boat HouseSun Nov 4 - Women's & Girls' Jogalong - now at Grevillea Park near the Boat HouseTue Nov 6 - Boat House 2/5k - first event of the Spring Series

for more information, go to http://www.canberrarunner.com.au========================================================= JogalongDue to the construction work at Weston Park, we have moved the Jogalong from 7th October 2012 to Grevillea Park, East Basin near the Boathouse Restaurant. The work should be finished by end February 2013. Remembering that there will be no Jogalong in March as the ActewAGL 5k Women and Girls Fun Run walk will be held on Sunday 3rd March 2013 and hence no Jogalong.

Parking
The only cars that are allowed to drive along the beach area are those that bringing and collecting club equipment. All others should park in the parking area along Menindee Drive or on the grass verge along Menindee Drive. Please do not park in the car parks reserved for the Boathouse Restaurant and the Hospice.

Warning/Danger
This is a lakeside location parents, guardians and all of us are reminded to be be vigilant at all times with children and the lake. Do not let your children play near the waters edge on their own.

Courses
6k Jogalong/3k – Runners will run east, lakeside of the Boathouse Restaurant and Hospice with the 3k turn 500m before Molonglo Reach. The 6k turn is opposite the Water Ski Club on Map 20.

1.6k Mini Jog – Runners will run west and turn just before going under Kings Avenue Bridge. From the start/finish you can almost see the entire course.

Toilets
There are Public Toilets at the eastern end of the Boathouse Restaurant, which can be accessed from the outside. Other Public Toilets are available the other side of Kings Ave Bridge near the Carillon a mere.2k warm-up jog away.========================================================== Spring Series: Events & Volunteers neededAs with the Jogalong, due to the construction work at Weston Park, we have moved the first Spring Series Event to Grivillea Park, East Basin near the Boathouse Restaurant.

November 6, Stromlo Forest Park
November 13, Barrenjoey Dr
November 20, Black Mt Peninsula
November 27, Boat House
December 4, Stromlo Forest Park
December 11, Christmas Relays, Lennox Gardens.These events are run solely thanks to the efforts of volunteers. In fact, all our members are expected to help at atleast one race per year, and often two races per year for our more active members. Please have a look at the list of events above, and let me know if you are happy to help at one (or more) of them. Let me know if you have a preference for a particular event too (though please also give a secondary preference if your first choice already has enough helpers). Helpers are generally required to either help with timing, recording, course marshalling, course set-up or take down and place card handing out. The manager will normally assign you to a task on the day (or earlier), and will explain your duties on the day. Note it is not possible to race at the event you are rostered to help at.

I will start assigning members to races next month to obtain the required numbers of helpers for each race. If you are over 16, regularly run a Spring or Summer series race, and have not recently helped at an event, then chances are I will assign you. If you want a chance to choose which race you help at, then contact me soon.Please fill in the form at http://tinyurl.com/9zu7cm3 or email me at david.osmond@windlab.com with your preferred event/s (and preferably a 2nd preference if your first preference is already full).========================================================== Spring Series: Race Managers neededI'm also in need of race managers for all races except the first 2 at Stromlo & Barrenjoey. The duties of the race manager are not particularly onerous. The main duties involve:

- make sure you are familiar with your course, and have an idea of where you will need course markers or marshals- collect the race equipment at the previous race (this normally fits in most cars, unless you have a sedan in which the rear seats cannot be folded down, in which case we can normally find someone else to help with the gear)- liaise with your helpers, and the roster manager (currently me) to make sure you will have enough help. Note that it is the roster manager who is responsible for assigning helpers to each race, and will assist in getting the helpers in contact with the race manager, though the race manager is responsible for confirming the helpers attendance.- tell your helpers when and where they will be needed. At the summer series, you will usually need 2-3 people on the stopwatches, 2 doing rego/results, 1 handing out place cards, plus any course marshalls that are required.- mark the course, or make sure you have a helper to do that for you

Additionally, the manager usually assists with some of the helper duties, with handing out the place cards being a popular choice.

Please let me know if you're happy to manage a race. We can usually team you up with an experienced manager if you haven't managed one of our races before.Please email me at david.osmond@windlab.com with your preferred event/s (and preferably a 2nd preference if your first preference is already full).

========================================================= ActewAGL Women & Girls 5k Fun Run & WalkThis event will be held on the first Sunday in March 2013 (March 3). ========================================================= YCRC Running Week, Thredbo, January 2013This week-long festival of running (& walking, tennis, volleyball, golf etc.) is on again next year in the 3rd week of January. It is hoped that the event information will be posted to our website in the coming weeks. http://www.canberrarunner.org.au/

Cross Country Kenya style

Wednesday, 26 September 2012

Last night the speedygeese ran a set of Rose Garden 200s. A brave few started running them on 2 minutes and were relieved to drop back to 2.30 after four of them. So some completed thirteen intervals, some twelve, while some ran nine or ten on 3 minutes.

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Sunday, 23 September 2012

Happy Birthday to Metro Runner and would-be speedygoose Laura, 30 years old today. I hope those wounds from falling off your bicycle at speed heal fast so you can join us! We more mature people need to keep very active to stay fit.

Laura

Saturday, 22 September 2012

More than five years have passed since I waxed lyrical - whatever that really means - and "composed" three poems in anticipation of running in the 2007 Canberra Marathon. Seriously I have not been able to invoke the muse since. Writing poetry isn't on my bucket list, however I think I might attempt to reawaken that muse, shortly. There will be October advance posts. I can launch these intended poems the week I am away. Which means I can write them now and publish with October dates. Failing that, there are cats.

Here then is a repeat of my one and only previous attempt. Note that Snow Patrol not only had a song "Chasing Cars", but another on the same album "Eyes Open", titled "The Finish Line". My little in-joke. The other sources are "The 59th Street Bridge Song" by Paul Simon, (a.k.a. "Feelin' Groovy") and a song about children releasing balloons which triggers a nuclear war which was inspired by Balloons Aloft conducting flights with big scary noisy balloons while the marathon is in progress. It's feet firmly planted on the ground for me! And the irony is I'm running 42k. Gosh, that's reading a lot into a few words! If the muse re-awakens, I shall leave similar thoughts unspoken for another five years.

May the muse be with you!

chasing lead cars:
I'll run it all
Every K
On my own

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would someone just pick me up
Take me to the finish line

The forty second kilometre song:
Slow down
Don't move too fast
You got to make this marathon last.
Kicking down the dusty roads
Looking for gel, and feelin' hungry

Friday, 21 September 2012

Last night at Parliament House after a warm-up it was light enough to run three of our west side figure eight circuits on 5 minutes, then ten of our west side hill #3 sprints on 90 seconds. The consensus was this is a harder sessions than just sprinting the hills. Each figure eight includes two hills anyway, and the breaks aren't all that long. Training were Cathy (early), Abi, Andrew, Colin, Craig, Eliza, me, Jen, Joel, Tim, Tori, Warrick & Yelena.

If you have been thinking about joining or re-joining us, don't defer it any longer! Here are the dates we will continue at Parliament House:Tuesday 25 SeptemberThursday 27 SeptemberTuesday 2 October (Monday 1st is a holiday)Thursday 4 OctoberTuesday 9 October (Monday 8th is another holiday)Thursday 11 October, thenMonday 15 OctoberMonday 22 October and so on every Monday

It turns out I already do each of these exercises once a week, sometimes twice. Perhaps not the pull-ups, but that will resume at Parliament House come daylight saving when the bar there is not as cold! I focused on pull-ups with you last summer because I found them difficult and wasn't doing them much.

I have been working on combining the burpees with the pushups. Now that is a hard exercise!

The breaking news is that at Parliament House during the next six months, some Mondays but not all, we will do a strength circuit down on the western side grass oval, and/or along the fitness track there, which will incorporate all or most of these exercises. An extension of the battlecamp circuit concept. There will be running as well.

Looking forward to it!

Wednesday, 19 September 2012

(But then the Ghost of Subjunctive Past showed up and told me to stay strong on 'if it were'.)

Parliament House's first Tuesday training session was last night, and as usual, following an afternoon of sound and fury and showers and possible hail, it turned out fine and calm. Funny how our training window defies the weather. Andrew, Colin, Craig, me, Lucia, Mick, Neil, Tony & Tori attended and we ran a favourite session, a series of Rose Garden 200s. More next week.

Last night I watched Alice in Wonderland on Blueray in my home theatre - it was literally the best movie I have ever seen. I am a big fan of the Alice books and the movie did them justice, which was wonderful. So many jokes and asides too, such fun. I am not a fan of Tim Burton, I think he has made some rubbishy movies, and I don't usually like Johhny Depp, although I may decide to check out some of his other movies now, but it all comes together in Alice.

Monday, 17 September 2012

How to comment on a post: I got bombarded with spam comments yesterday - they have been growing in the last few weeks but 100 in 5 minutes is a bit much - and as a result I am no longer allowing anonymous comments. And yes the spam attacks were stopped dead in their tracks when I changed my comment settings. It was lucky I was logged on at home at the time or I would have got millions. So to comment on posts now, you need to be logged in to your google account. If you don't have a google account, it is very quick and easy to create one. Useful, too. Just go to https://accounts.google.com/NewAccount.

The High Noon meet was on yesterday, not next week. There was a change of date and even though I posted a news item with the correct date, I didn't realise it had been changed. Pity, because I maintain the calendar on the ACTVAC website. Sorry about the confusion.

I will be at Parliament House training on Tuesday and Thursday this week but I cannot see myself doing the early (4:30pm) run either day as my heel is sore again.

Saturday, 15 September 2012

It was nearly the day that time forgot. Busy, I guess. No swim for me today but a review of the website I am developing for the AMA Nationals took some of the time. Also getting my 95th Vetrunner article written and sent off by tonight's deadline; possibly the third-last such article as there are no takers for the Editor's position yet and the newsletter may fold.More importantly, I ran 16k this morning with Liz, (that's Liz B, not Liz D, nor Liz M, nor Liz W! No wonder I find it hard to remember names) - great company, my longest run since the disastrous half marathon attempt on 29 July. Also, our training pace was 5:30 per km, some 40 seconds per km faster than my previous best in those seven weeks. Not bad considering I am still carrying the foot injury, and my weight has blown out to 68kg through minimal training with no reduction in eating. Perhaps things are improving, although I was sore for the last km today.With this heel problem, running uphills is much easier and safer than running downhills. I quite approve of the following construction and if anyone has one I will be glad to train on it.

Friday, 14 September 2012

Training at Parliament House for the next few weeks:Tuesdays = interval training on the flatThursdays = interval training on the hills

Last night at Parliament House the hilly intervals were 20 x 100m on hill west#3 - the first five on 90 seconds, the next ten on 80 seconds, the last five back on 90 seconds. No other breaks. Completing the full training session were Abi, Andrew S, Andrew T (new), Colin, Craig, Eliza, myself, Jen, Joel, Sarah, Warrick and Yelena. Running eight of them and enjoying a longer break between was Tony; welcome back! He is now 74 years old and has just completed the 10k Canberra Fun Run in 51:38 on little distance training. Just running the warm-up but calling it a day being careful about injury was Susan. I was happy to complete my first full training session since my own injury, running 7k before the hills and completing 15k in all. I will try and run four days each week for a while yet; plus two one hour gym sessions, one one hour swim session, and daily rehabilitative exercises.

Next year's Canberra Marathon

Australian Running Festival – entries now open

More than 5,000 entrants took part in the 2012 Australian Running Festival, with 2013 set to build on this success.

IncorporatingThe Canberra Times Canberra Marathon along with a Half Marathon and fun runs, the Australian Running Festival offers an event for all abilities, from serious runners to joggers, wheelchairs, pushers and walkers.

The following runs will be held in the Nation’s Capital in April:• Saturday, April 13, 2013 - 5km and 10km fun runs.• Sunday, April 14, 2013 - Half Marathon, Marathon and Ultra Marathon

The Australian Running Festival aims to raise much needed funds for more than 170 charities. Last year the event raised more than $150,000 for charities across the country and you can help us raise even more in 2013.Enter and start fundraising todayrunningfestival.com.au

Thursday, 13 September 2012

At training on Tuesday I said that I believe in a cool-down because, if for no other reason, it gets a little more distance under one's belt. Today I saw an article which talks about what lactate really is, and dispels the following myths:"lactate causes soreness"
"I must cool down after I exercise to get the lactic acid out."

Rather, the author declares"Lactate levels in the blood will be back to resting within ~ an hour, whether or not there is a cool-down"
"Lactic acid does not cause soreness"
"Exercise that causes soreness typically doesn't cause very high [La] (and vice versa)."

The article doesn't discuss "is there value in a cool-down?" I remember my old coach Percy Cerutty used to point out that animals, when exhausted after a hard run, would recover by flopping down in the shade of a tree. Or by standing in a cold stream.

Percy didn't have much to say about stretching either. As you know, few animals lean against trees stretching before going for the kill.

I think warm-ups and stretching get more important as you age. Also important is the right kind of warm-up and stretching when you are sore. Here is a sequence of events I have had to resort to when very injured: Ice, then jog, then massage, then stretch, then ice, then voltarin (gel). The jog stops if/when the pain recurs.

We need to see the big picture. So here is an absolutely breathtaking view of the Milky Way as seen from Mars:

This made me snicker

Finally, there is light rain. It must be Thursday. I can run, I will be at PH for the early run today. See you there or at 5:30pm for the main session.

Wednesday, 12 September 2012

Posted by speedygeoff on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 with No comments

Breaking News: We will be moving Tuesday training to PARLIAMENT HOUSE from next week. There is to be no more training at Dickson oval this year. The oval will be closed for maintenance. Disadvantage - no more handicap sessions like the one described below. Advantage - we can train there whatever the weather. I plan to do an early run there too, just the 8k at 4:30pm I think, is anyone else interested?

Training last night at Dickson: we ran a set of laps in lane five, with a short break between each lap. The first was timed, the other six were handicap starts based on time.

Colin

Susan

Eliza

Liz D

Yelena

Mick

Neil

(new)

#1

1:26

2:10

2:01

2:02

2:03

2:09

2:04

#2

1:24

2:02

2:01

2:01

2:00

2:03

2:01

#3

1:24

1:53

1:59

1:59

1:57

1:57

2:02

#4

1:26

1:56

2:01

1:59

1:59

1:59

2:02

#5

1:25

1:55

2:01

2:00

1:59

2:00

2:13

#6

1:27

2:03

2:03

1:55

2:04

2:07

2:15

#7

1:28

1:48

1:52

1:59

1:57

2:08

2:20

Marathon agony recalled

That was the day everything cramped up - rain for 21k, then cold wind for 21k. Which is why one trains whatever the weather.

But thank goodness winter has passed for another year. we can look forward to more warmth, more light. See you at training; it's Parliament House both Tuesdays and Thursdays now.

Tuesday, 11 September 2012

I don't look back much as a rule, but this song by The Shins, which goes back a few years, is just brilliant.

There appears to be a pink ribbon, paper cows, and a feeling of loss.

I was just bony hands as cold as a winter pole
You held a warm stone out new flowing blood to hold
Oh what a contrast you were to the brutes in the halls
My timid young fingers held a decent animal

Over the ramparts you tossed
The scent of your skin and some foreign flowers
Tied to a brick
Sweet as a songThe years have been short
But the days were long
Cool of a temperate breeze from dark skies to wet grass
We fell in a field it seems now a thousand summers passed
When our kite lines first crossed
We tied them into knots
And finally fly apart
We had to cut them off

Since then it's been a book you read in reverse
So you understand less as the pages turn
Or a movie so crass
And awkwardly cast
Even I could be the star

I don't look back much as a ruleAnd all this way before murder was cool
But your memory is here and I'd it to stay
Warm light on a winter day

Over the ramparts you tossed
The scent of your skin and some foreign flowers
Tied to a brick
Sweet as a song
The years have been short
But the days go slowly by
Two loose kites falling from the sky
Drawn to the ground and an end to flight

Break it upI find it difficult to do my long runs at anywhere near a good training pace. Here I am trotting along at 6 minute kms while my competition is regularly training at 5km pace during their long runs. So I was quite interested in the following article, which suggests a number of ways of converting long runs into interval sessions by planning short rest periods along the way. Worth a thought? Check out http://running.competitor.com/2012/08/training/the-importance-of-recovery-intervals-in-workouts_57100

Sunday, 9 September 2012

“Life is not meant to be easy, my child; but take courage: it can be delightful.” - George Bernard Shaw. Which is what Malcolm Fraser was quoting when he said, "Life was not meant to be easy", or did he quote the whole lot and the media took part of it out of context? Context is so important.

Windy it was yesterday: I ran and mapped our 12k course from Acton Ferry Terminal to Molonglo Reach and return; one of my favourite courses along the lake. But we had the Canberra Times westerly blowing a gale; the headwind on the way back almost stopped us on the return trip; ask Mick who was out walking at the time.

Acton Ferry Terminal to Molonglo Reach & back; 12.0k shortest route.

Afterwards I went for another Saturday morning swim at the AIS pool, where this week it was quite crowded but I managed 10 x 100m on about 3 mins; meaning plenty of rest between each effort. The arms were rather fatigued at the end of it though, but with persistence it won't take long to adapt.

Delightful it was today, with the first sunny calm and warm day since winter struck in early April. Not typical windy Canberra Times Fun Run weather at all, they would have enjoyed perfect 10k conditions. We made the most of it by training at Stromlo Forest Park, and enjoyed watching the Australian Junior cycling championships at the same venue. Training consisted of 5 x 500m with 700m jog (Abi, Andrew & Joel) and 5x500m with a 300m (back-tracking) jog (Yelena & I)

Saturday, 8 September 2012

Because of the workload of conducting the Nationals at the end of the season, there are a number of changes from the format of recent seasons.

The main point is that this season we will not be having a separate championship weekend. Championship events will be fitted into Thursday nights during February and March (the 10k walk will be in November to avoid a clash with Australian championships in its usual February timeslot). There will not be separate championships for each age group, instead the 3 medal winners across all ages will be decided based on percentages of World Masters standards. The championship events are denoted as "Ch" in the program.

These changes have put a "squeeze" on the calendar, so all trophy series will be "best 5 of ...".

Another point is that the hammer and weight throws will be held at the Masson St ground in Turner because the AIS lower throwing field is now closed.

If you have any comments on the program or events, please contact Ken Smith of the Competition Sub-committee by the 10th of September.

All regular Track and Field competitors are expected to participate in the roster of officials twice during the season. Please also let Ken know if you have any preferred date(s) to do duty (1 or more in order of preference if you can), or any times when you will be unavailable.

2. Vetrunner

The position of Editor of Vetrunner is still open. There are no confirmed responses for the position.

If you have been considering filling this esteemed position but have not yet approachedNarelle or a committee member, now is your opportunity to find out more about the position.

Time is quickly running out if this publication is to continue past the November 2012 issue.

Please contact NarelleBlackaby for further information atvetrunner@actvac.com. All training is provided.

3. Changes to September/October/November Run/Walk Handicaps

The Handicap Sub-Committee advises that there are changes to the October and November Handicap events.

Firstly, the October Handicap cannot be held at the Arboretum due to construction. This will now be held on a variation of the Aranda Bushlands course. It will be known as the Little Black Mountain Course. The long course will be 9.2 kms and the short course will be 4.6 kms. This Handicap will be a King and Queen of the Mountain event.

Secondly, the November Handicap cannot be held at Weston Park due to the construction of a bike path. This will now commence at Mt Ainslie and will be known as the Mount Ainslie Woodlands course. The long course will be 7 km and the short course will be 3.5kms. This course was decided upon as there will be plenty of shade for the end of year presentations etc.

Also, please note that the September Handicap will be held on the second last Sunday of September (23rdSeptember) to avoid clashing with the National AMA Winter Throwing Championships.

Friday, 7 September 2012

Parliament House training yesterday: Jen ran early. The main session was 10x100m on 90, a short break then 5x100m on 85 + 5x100m on 80. Yelena did 4 or 5, I did 8, Abi 10, and Andrew, Colin, Craig & Joel ran all 20 quite fast. It was noted that those who had voted for hill sprints were not present. Don’t worry, they won’t miss out, they will get "special attention" next time while those who have done them can do something else.

Thursday, 6 September 2012

It was so windy yesterday. But the wind has dropped somewhat, training at Parliament House tonight will be good, first Thursday of spring. I will make up my mind later in the day if I do the early run. Nevertheless others will be there, feel free to join in and enjoy the warmer weather.

Wednesday, 5 September 2012

Posted by speedygeoff on Wednesday, September 05, 2012 with No comments

Last night's training at Dickson: Susan did just a warm-up; I did too and supervised the session; it was good to see Rod back after a long absence. Colin, Rod, Craig, Yelena, Mick & Eliza ran seven by one lap in lane 4; the first one timed, the others with handicap starts.